


I Shall Believe

by dragon-gays (emoscully)



Category: Dragon Age (Video Games), Dragon Age: Inquisition
Genre: Couples That Pray Together Stay Together, Drabble Collection, Eventual Happy Ending, F/F, Falling In Love, Fluff and Angst, Nightmares, Not Actually Unrequited Love
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-02-25
Updated: 2017-02-25
Packaged: 2018-09-26 19:40:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 970
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/9919208
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/emoscully/pseuds/dragon-gays
Summary: A bittersweet collection of moments shared between Cassandra Pentaghast and Valerie Trevelyan. Drabbles and oneshots completely out of order, uploaded as I think of them.





	1. By The Light Of The Moon

It was late, the moon was full, and it was snowing lightly in the mountains where they had camped; Valerie and Cassandra in one tent, Varric and Solas in the other. Cassandra was awake, her head peeking out of the tent so she could read by the light of the moon without worry of being disturbed. Valerie's soft breathing was one of the only things Cassandra could hear over the soft crackle of the fire, still going despite the snow piling nearer and nearer to it. She noticed immediately when it stopped and was replaced by soft whimpering.

Cassandra sat up and moved back inside the tent, leaving the flap pushed to the side to allow in the bit of light the moon afforded.

Valerie's eyes were closed, but she was mumbling unintelligibly. Her hands pushed the blankets away, and Cassandra noticed that she was sweaty, despite the cool mountain air.

“Inquisitor-” she began, but replaced it with a softer, “Valerie, Valerie, wake up.”

Valerie jolted awake, despite the gentleness of Cassandra's voice.

“Are you alright?” Cassandra asked.

Valerie nodded, clearly disoriented. "What-?" She had intended to finish her sentence, but it was lost to her.

"You were having a bad dream. Do you feel ill?" Cassandra fretted. "You look feverish."

"I'm fine," Valerie replied, softly. "Do you have any water?"

Cassandra handed her a flask, which she accepted gratefully. After a pause, Cassandra offered a tentative, "Would you like to talk about it?"

Valerie cast a glance her way- and something unidentifiable to Cassandra lingered in her gaze. "It was just the screaming and the fire. So many people died at Haven."

"It would have been all of us, if not for you," Cassandra soothed. She longed to reach out and rest her hand atop the younger woman's, but she couldn't. She didn't know how to. She could barely find the right words to offer comfort. However, Valerie seemed calmer for what Cassandra had been able to give.

"For a while I thought you all were angry with me," Valerie confessed, her voice barely a whisper.

"Never!" Cassandra couldn't imagine being mad at the woman she respected so much. "You were the one who got us all out of there, do not forget that."

"That means a lot, Cassandra," Valerie said softly, twisting her hands in her lap. She wanted so badly to reach out to Cassandra, for physical comfort. She could still feel the fire on her skin. She wanted someone to hold her, to tell her that it would be alright- that the dreams would stop and she would learn to live with herself, but she didn't know how to ask for something like that.

Cassandra said nothing as Valerie left the tent to go sit outside in the snow. She didn't know what to say to keep Valerie warm beside her. It was all she could do to pass a blanket outside and try to go to sleep.


	2. Come to me, child, and I shall embrace you. In my arms lies Eternity.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Warning: Non-Graphic mention of past sexual abuse.

Cassandra froze mid-crouch as she heard Valerie stir beside her. 

"What are you doing?" Valerie asked, her eyes heavy and her voice thick with sleep. 

Cassandra sighed softly, sitting back down beside Valerie. "I had hoped to go into the valley without waking anyone, so that I might pray."

Valerie propped herself up on her elbows. "Can I come?"

"You'd like to pray with me?" Cassandra asked, slightly taken aback. "Yes- of course. Get dressed."

Valerie pulled on all but her plate armor and clamored down the hill into the valley with Cassandra. They settled near the stream, but far enough away that the ground was dry.  Valerie knelt and looked up at Cassandra. For a moment something passed between the two of them, and although Cassandra couldn't find a word for it- Valerie knew it well as lust. 

Cassandra got on her knees, they were at eye level, and the moment had passed. She cleared her throat awkwardly as Valerie extended her hands for Cassandra to take. Valerie's eyes were closed as Cassandra started reciting the Chant. 

 _"Let the blade pass through the flesh,_  
_Let my blood touch the ground,_  
_Let my cries touch their hearts. Let mine be the last sacrifice."_

Cassandra stopped. Her hands remained holding Valerie's, but as Valerie opened her eyes, she noticed Cassandra looking at her. "Will you join in?" Cassandra asked. It was not disguised passive-aggressively as a request or a demand; merely a simple question. 

"May I speak openly with you? About myself?" Valerie asked.

Cassandra nodded, unsure what to expect.

"When I was living with my family-" her voice cracked uncharacteristically, "The most intensely I would pray was while my mother was... She used to make me have sex with men to secure business deals, and to blackmail some."

Cassandra was speechless, so Valerie continued. "I was silent of course- and I suppose I became accustomed to it. Leading prayer makes me nervous. Although, this may prove problematic for the Herald of Andraste, no?" She gave a soft smile, trying to lighten the mood. "I'm sorry you had to hear that; perhaps I should have kept it to myself."

It had taken Cassandra longer than normal to process what she was hearing. "Valerie-" her voice broke. "I am so sorry. That will never happen to you again, I swear it. If you ever wish to speak more on the matter I am here to listen."

Valerie gave another half-hearted smile and changed the subject. "I love your voice when you pray. It would be an honor just to stay here with you."

"Of course, of course. Anytime you like, you are welcome to pray with me." Cassandra squeezed Valerie's hands; still entwined in her own. 

"Thank you," Valerie said softly.

  _"The one who repents, who has faith,_  
_Unshaken by the darkness of the world,_  
_She shall know true peace."_


End file.
